A Cruise and Progress!!!

ISSUE #635 Nov. 13-19, 2016

2016-11-21

Brian Timmons, Newsletter Author
Brian Timmons

Dear friends,

When I started Residencias Los Jardines, I started writing a weekly newsletter -determined to tell all the good, bad, and the ugly. I knew some readers would be interested in the construction process. I expected others might be interested in the lifestyle of two people who had decided to live outside the box. For others, the adventures of Lita, the parrot and the cat took on an entertainment saga all its own.

Residencias Los Jardines is finished. We periodically have re-sales and rental availability. Some readers may be interested in this information.

Brian Timmons
Developer / Property manager
Residencias Los Jardines

Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com
Emails: info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

Featured
rentals & sales

Paradisus Condos / Rohrmoser
FOR SALE / RENT
Visit our website

Paradisus Condos - click to visit

Each of the units consists of two bedrooms / two bathrooms, and a large living/dining/kitchen area. The floor plan of each of these units has eliminated the optional "den / office" divider. The result is a larger area offering more flexible furniture arrangements while still maintaining the option of including an office area. At 105m2 plus two parking spots each and storage locker, they offer a great opportunity for someone seeking views, security, central location, and first class, all round living...

PRICE REDUCTION
Semi furnished unit: For sale: $235,000
Fully furnished unit: For sale: $245,000
Floor 12 -west view

More Opportunities
rentals & sales

Condominio Santa Lucia, Tres Rios

The first of a series of payments has been received. This sale seems to be happening.

Market activity
sales & rentals

Sales: Unit #107 For Sale... Condition has been met. Closing date has been established. Units #106A and #114 are listed for sale.

Rentals: Paradisus: Nothing available
Los Jardines: Unit #123 is available for rent.

Residencias Los Jardines
property management, rentals & re-sales

FOR SALE
Unit #106A: $ 165,000 / See Unit
Unit #107: $ 205,000 / Conditional offer has been accepted / See Unit
Unit #114: $ 199,000 / See Unit

FOR RENT
Unit #123: $ 1,450 mo. / December 1 / See Unit

For sale

UNIT #106A
FOR SALE
$165,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1250
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): 1
Type: Apartment
Furnished: Yes

This is a fully furnished 2-bedroom unit situated in a 2-story building, which has two units on the ground floor and two units on the 2nd. floor. Each unit is the same size (1,250sf) divided into 800 sf of interior space and 450 sf of covered front and back terraces. Units 106A and B are on the ground floor; Units 106 C and D are on the 2nd. Floor. The solid masonry demising wall (common wall) as well as the 5" concrete slab prevent sound transference.

UNIT #107
FOR SALE
$205,000 / Conditional offer accepted

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1716
Total area (Sq M): 158
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor(s): 2
Type: Detached
Furnished: Yes

This 1,716 sf. (plus parking for one car) two story, detached house, with three terraces, two bedrooms (one on each floor) and upstairs master suite is a beautiful home. This home consists of two VERY large bedrooms (one on each floor) with en-suite bathrooms and a powder room, each with large closets with extensive built-ins for personal organization. The vaulted living room and ground floor bedroom ceilings as well as the master bedroom on the 2nd floor, provide a feeling of grandeur while allowing the warmer air to rise and exit through the ceiling ventilating system. There are three TVs (one in each bedroom and one in the living room.) This is a beautiful home. There is a rough-in for a dishwasher in the kitchen area.

UNIT #114
FOR SALE
$199,000

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1290
Total area (Sq M): 120
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Floor(s): Single floor
Type: Attached
Furnished: Yes

This 1,290 sf. (plus covered parking for one car and two lockers 67 sf.) single story, semi detached house, with garden terrace, two bedrooms is a beautiful executive style home. This home consists of two large bedrooms one with six piece en-suite bathroom with additional access to separate full shower. Each bedroom has large closets with extensive built-ins for personal organization. The vaulted living room and bathroom ceilings provide a feeling of grandeur while allowing the warmer air to rise and exit through the ceiling ventilating system. There are four TVs (one in each bedroom, one in the living room and one in breakfast / dinning room.) This is a beautiful well appointed home.

For rent

UNIT #123
FOR RENT
$1,450 mo. / December 1

Total Area (Sq Ft): 1516
Total area (Sq M): 140
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Floor(s): 2 story
Type: Detached
Furnished: Yes

This two story, detached 1,423 sf home + parking for one car has two bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms and a 2nd floor covered terrace.

The open railed wrought iron cement stair case leads to the 2nd level where the master bedroom with en-suite master bathroom as well as 2nd bedroom and en-suite bathroom are located. Also accessed from the 2nd floor hallway is the covered terrace.

This is a very nicely furnished home with a good floor plan for those wanting two floors.

Our Lives

Weather: November is proving to be the normal beginnings of the dry season... rains are infrequent. Temperature continues to be perfect...

A Cruise...

We spent this past week on a Caribbean cruise... 7 nights... leaving from Limon, Colon (Panama), Cartagena (Colombia), Falmouth (Jamaica), Grand Cayman (Cayman Island Group) and return... two sea days. This was booked through Vacations-to-Go.com on a 50% discount. We had a stateroom (about 400 sf)... wonderful... king bed, balcony, shower with tub... Total cost for both of us was $2,118 to which is added the $95 each service charge for a total of $2,308... and that included a full drink package which was obligatory in this trip. Service was excellent, food fine, lots of entertainment, good organization, accurate billing, and a beautiful, well designed accommodation with great mattress and bedding... We drove to Limon, parked the car in a secure parking space ($50), and then the Tico organization / disorganization... kicked in... 2 ½ hrs. wait to go 100 m... wow!!!!! incredible... organization is not the best characteristic of tico culture... it was slightly better returning. We traveled with friends (third trip together) and the best part of that -other than their company- was that one of them made all the arrangements (I hate doing that)... I gave her our requirements –a room with outside access— and paid the bottom line... Wonderful!!!!!! Wonderful!!!!!! I also promise never to beat her up if something goes wrong and find something along the way to reward them for their effort... It works for me and I think for them as well. And since they are Canadians, we didn’t speak once about Am. politics... wow!!! what a relief!!!

Cruise line: Pullmantur - they have 4 ships / this ship / cruise itinary, “Monarch” caters to the Latino market so Spanish was the main language... but announcements were also made in English... and wait staff speak English and many speak Portuguese (not important to us). The ship carries 2,766 passengers when full and it seemed pretty full, 800 staff... was built in France in 1991 and refurbished about 6 years ago. I think it is rated a 3 or 3.5*... it was fine... clean, well maintained. Staff was mainly from Honduras, Brazil, Colombia and the Philippines... .but total nationalities represented was around 30 different countries. Lita worked her Filipina heritage to meet a number of wait staff as well as the head chef. This is the second time we have taken this ship... we are not experts on ships but found this cruise line and ship to be fine... we can’t think of anything that was missing and wanted for nothing. As far as I am concerned, whoever hires, trains, and supervises the staff does an excellent job... we couldn’t have been happier with those who waited or served us. We drank more great coffee accompanied by Irish Cream or brandy than I have in the past 20 years but none of us are big drinkers... and two... Lita being one... were complete non-drinkers. Dinners were served (our choice), for lunches we usually went to the upper deck buffet, we usually took breakfast in the dinning room where coffee and orange juice were served and the rest was buffet. They had “theme” nights for dress but not obligatory, dress was casual all the time... Lots of over weight people, many with kids, a complete age range of passengers, mostly all Latinos from all over Central and South America... with CR, Colombia, and Panama being the largest groups. Very few N. Am.

The ports of call were forgettable... with Cartagena being the exception) as far as I am concerned... for Lita it is about the food, the experience, the service... for me, it is about keeping her happy... I learned late in life that a happy wife means the possibility of a happy life... Without that, there is no possibility!!!

Progress: Well, maybe. My suite, along with many others, against INS -the national insurance agency- who gave performance guarantees on a construction project which defaulted... seems to be back on again. The INS challenged the jurisdiction and competency of the Chamber of Commerce Dispute Resolution facility which is used a lot and is usually specified in contracts is something goes off the rails. The group was asked to rule on their competency... of course they found themselves competent... and INS seems to have lost that argument... at least for now... the lawyers have been ordered by the institute to refile their arguments... mine will be included...w e'll see... I fully expect many twists and turns... INS is on the hook and will do everything they can to minimize or escape the consequences of a bad decision.

News Items of the Weeknews

Comments

1. The Public Is Screwed again... wow!!!!!

1. Fuel Price Reductions... well...???

The National Oil Refinery (RECOPE) requested two fuel price cuts in the past month and international prices of oil products this week fell to their lowest levels in the thepast three months, but motorists in Costa Rica are unlikely to benefit from those circumstances anytime soon.

The Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) suspended its evaluation of both of RECOPE’s requests, alleging that the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, has barred ARESEP from acting on the request until the court rules on a complaint filed by the Costa Rican Chamber of Industries (CICR) against the price calculation methodology.

Both of RECOPE’s requests correspond to declines in international prices of oil. The first one filed in October asked for a ¢9 cut in the per-liter price of Diesel and of ¢2 in the price of Plus gasoline.

The second request filed Friday would have lowered per-liter prices an additional ¢21 for Super gasoline, ¢20 for Plus and in ¢16 for Diesel.

If approved by the regulatory agency, a liter of Diesel would have gone from ¢467 to ¢443 ($0.83-0.79); Super, from ¢579 to ¢560 ($1.03-1); and Plus, from ¢554 to ¢534 ($0.99-0.95).

Price settings on hold

ARESEP requested that Sala IV Justices explain why the agency is not allowed to set prices until the Sala IV ruling takes place. The agency is worried about a lengthy wait, since justices do not have a deadline to issue a ruling and could take months or even years to do it.

RECOPE this week also submitted an “urgent request” to the Sala IV to allow ARESEP’s to revisit fuel prices.

The request would allow the regulatory agency to proceed with pending price adjustments and also with future settings required for the purchase, import and distribution of fuels in the country, RECOPE said in a public statement.

ARESEP spokeswoman Carolina Mora said the delay “might cause strong differences” between local and international prices, and problems for RECOPE derived from budgeted costs they used to plan future purchases of fuels from international markets.

Mora said that RECOPE’s first request should have been resolved by Oct. 28, while the one filed last week should have been ready within the next two weeks and go into effect at the end of this month.

The appeal

The CICR brought the complaint before the Sala IV in response to a complaint filed by Social Christian Unity Party lawmaker Luis Vásquez in August. Vázquez asked the justices to overturn an executive decree continuing a subsidy included in the prices of gasoline and diesel since 2008 to maintain the price of cooking gas.

CICR Assistant Executive Director Carlos Montenegro said in a public statement that ARESEP’s decision to refrain from approving price settings is completely unfounded. He argues that according to the chamber’s legal advisers, ARESEP is misinterpreting the Sala IV orders.

“ARESEP’s legal interpretation is like that of a judge who stops trying people for their crimes just because someone challenged the country’s Penal Code,” Montenegro said.

FOR RENTAL OR SALES INFORMATION
ON ANY OF THE ABOVE, CONTACT:

Brian C. Timmons
Property Manager RLJ and Newsletter Author

Costa Rica:
Cell: (+ 506) 8305-3965
Land line: (+506) 2282-4142 Ext. 101

Canada:
VOIP: (+416) 461-2203

Web: https://www.residenciaslosjardines.com
Emails: info@residenciaslosjardines.com
ResidenciasPropertyManagement@gmail.com

 
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